1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seating system particularly adapted for use in an aircraft, and more particularly a seating system where the seat rows can be conveniently moved forwardly or rearwardly to selected locations in the aircraft to adjust the pitch (i.e. spacing) of the seats and in some instances to make additional space for cargo or the like.
2. Background Art
In many modern day commercial passenger aircraft, two or more seats are connected to an undercarriage to make a seat row, and the undercarriage is in turn securely mounted to two underlying longitudinally extending tracks. Normally, the seat undercarriages are mounted to these tracks in a manner that it is a very time consuming operation to unlock the undercarriages from the tracks and move the seats to a different location. Yet, there are many instances where it would be desirable to adjust the location of the seat rows. For example, it may be desirable to adjust the seat row locations for use on certain flights to bring the rows closer together to accommodate more passengers. For other flights where lower density passenger loading is more desirable, the seat rows would be moved back to locations with greater spaces between them. In some instances, it may be desirable to move the seat rows very close together so that room could be made for cargo.
One type of track which is commonly used for mounting seats in passenger aircraft is one where the track has a lengthwise dovetail-shaped passageway, where there are two laterally and inwardly extending flanges or lips that form the upper part of the passageway. At regularly spaced intervals along the length of the track, the two lips or flanges are formed with circularly curved cutouts so that these circular cutouts collectively form vertical circular openings interconnected by narrower elongate rectangular openings.
The seat mounting devices are arranged so that circular foot members at the lower end of the undercarriage are inserted downwardly through the circular openings, and the mounting device is then moved forwardly or rearwardly approximately one-half of the distance of the spacing of the circular openings. This places the foot members beneath related inwardly extending lips of the track member, so that the foot members cannot be moved upwardly while in that location. Then a vertical plunger or shear pin is inserted into an adjacent vertical circular opening to prevent the fitting from being moved forwardly or rearwardly. In one type of such seat mounting and connecting device, there is an "anti-rattle" mechanism which is a threaded member which is mounted on a pivotally mounted member. By moving the threaded member inwardly, the pivotally mounted member is urged in a direction to press the foot member upwardly against the inwardly extending lips of the seat track.
With this prior art seat fastening and mounting system, to move the seat rows to a new location, it is necessary for a workman to assume a position very close to the floor level. The workman unscrews the anti-rattle mechanism of each seat mounting, and then moves the plunger or shear pin to the non-engaged position. After the mounting devices for a particular row of seats are so placed in the unlocked position, the seat row can be moved forwardly or rearwardly a short distance so that the feet members register with adjacent vertically aligned openings in the tracks. Then the seat row can be lifted free of the track and moved to another location, placed into the desired locking position and secured to the tracks. In general, the rearranging of the seat rows in a modern day passenger airliner can be an overnight operation.
A search of the U.S. patent literature has disclosed a number of patents showing various seat systems and mounting devices, and components possibly related thereto. These are as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,922,582, Goodrich, illustrates a system where a number of chairs can be mounted to a rail, which in one embodiment is a telescoping rail. The chairs have wheels which fit into the rails, and pawls are provided to hold the chairs in place. The rail, with the chairs thereon, can be swung upwardly about a back pivot mounting to place the chairs out of the way.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,539,010, Coxx, illustrates a method of moving an aircraft by means of a powered cart which is attached to the wheels of the aircraft.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,735,476, Fieber, shows a crash seat where the seat is mounted on wheels. On impact, the seat moves forwardly and upwardly to absorb the impact of the crash.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,971,566, Negroni, shows a pilot seat for an aircraft, and particularly a helicopter, where the seat is mounted on rollers. Plungers 84 and 84a penetrate holes 90 to hold the seat in a particular position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,459,134, Shepheard, shows a device to tow an aircraft, where there is a wheel 16 having a number of peripheral lugs 32 that engage holes 34 along a pathway 36, thus insuring positive engagement with the pathway.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,322, Vuykukal, shows a restraint device that can be attached to a person who is in a zero gravity environment. This device has rollers which move along a rail.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,704, Schauffler, illustrates a transportation system where coupled seats and baggage units for individual passengers are carried by different types of vehicles.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,459, Riley, shows a seat mounting structure where there is an underlying track having a lengthwise dovetail-shaped slot with circular vertical openings. Head members fit in the dovetail opening and can be moved to positions between the vertical circular openings to retain the mounting structure to the track. A locking plunger 58 is moved downwardly to engage one of the circular openings to hold the mounting mechanism in its position where it is secured to the underlying track.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,999,630, McPhee, shows an overhead rail system where a carrier for food, snack and beverage service is suspended from the overhead track, with wheels mounted in the track.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,047,689, Grendahl, shows a track fitting where the track is similar to that shown in the Riley patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,459. There are a plurality of lobes which reach outwardly to fit against the inwardly protruding lips or flanges of the track, and shear members fit into the circular openings to hold the fitting in place. The lobe retaining members are arranged in a particular way to obtain a desired distribution of the loads.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,298, Weik, shows an anti-rattle device used in the same general type of retaining mechanism that is shown in the Grendahl and Riley patents. In this device, the shear pin that fits in the circular hole is urged downwardly by an angled slot in the shear pin body, this slot being engaged by a pin which is movable fore and aft by rotation of a threaded member to cause the shear pin to be either removed from the floor track or forced against it so as to preload the fitting and prevent it from rattling.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,797, Fox, shows a seating assembly for an aircraft where the seats are placed on longitudinally extending rails, and the seat members are mounted on rollers that permit the seats to be moved along the rails. This seat can be locked in various positions by means of vertically movable latch mechanisms which fit into expanded openings in the track.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,040, Howell et al, shows a seat support structure where the seat legs have what are called bifurcated lower ends which can accommodate a seat track locking fixture in supporting members that are fixed to the leg structure to furnish added rigidity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,376,522, Banks, shows a securing member for an aircraft seat, where the track has the same general configuration as the Riley and Grendahl patents. A lever moves a plunger 38 downwardly into the circular opening to hold the securing device in place. There is a spring clip which holds the lever in its down position. This spring clip can be rotated away from the lever to free the spring clip and permit the lever to be moved upwardly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,175, Long et al, shows the same type of track as in the Riley and Grendahl patents. There is a level which moves the locking plunger downwardly to secure the seat mounting mechanism to the track. There is a threaded anti-rattling member which must be unscrewed to a location to permit the lever to be moved to move the plunger to its nonlocking position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,701, Martin, shows a telescoping cover member which is fitted onto the exposed portion of the track that extends between the front leg of a rear seat to the rear leg of a forward seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,271, Spinosa et al, shows a fitting to be used in a track such as that shown in the Riley and Grendahl patents. This fitting has a lower portion with outwardly extending locking members. This lower portion is slidable into its locking position.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a convenient and reliable seating system for a passenger aircraft or the like, where the seats can be quickly and effectively moved to different locations to provide different seating arrangements and/or additional space for cargo or other purposes.